This invention relates to improvements in ankle supports and, in particular, to a support that is provided with a stabilizer for receiving the heel and stabilizing the wearer""s foot beneath the medial and lateral malleolus to lock the heel to the fibula and thereby control abnormal movement of the ankle.
Ankle supports of many different types are widely used and are commonly accepted in the sports medicine field as a means of protecting the ankle joint from injury due to a medial or lateral twisting or rollover during an athletic activity, whether of the contact or non-contact type. The supports are also used to assist in rehabilitation after an injury, and may be worn as well by active individuals not involved in competitive athletics.
The ultimate function of an ankle support is to control any abnormal movement of the ankle complex, and most importantly to lock the heel to the fibula. This is referred to as a xe2x80x9cheel lockxe2x80x9d by the training profession, and is what a competent trainer attempts to accomplish in the final steps of taping an athlete""s ankle.
Taping of the ankle, however, is expensive and time-consuming because the adhesive tapes are not reusable and properly taping or supervising the taping is very time consuming. Reusable ankle wraps and supports are a solution to these problems and are widely used, such as supports of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,367,733 and 4,962,768. The ankle supports disclosed in these patents do an effective job of locking the heel bone to the fibula, but both have been found to be complicated for the average person to put on correctly. Furthermore, there are other ankle support products that provide effective medial and lateral support but fail to provide an effective heel lock. Accordingly, there exists a need for a reusable ankle support of simple configuration which provides both the medial/lateral protection and a heel lock to fully control abnormal movement of the ankle.
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an ankle support which is uncomplicated in design and application to a wearer""s foot, and which provides both medial/lateral support and an effective heel lock.
As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is an important aim of this invention to provide a stabilized ankle support that includes a semi-rigid stabilizer for receiving a wearer""s heel and providing support beneath the medial and lateral malleolus, in combination with a flexible ankle support extending upwardly from the stabilizer for providing medial and lateral support while the stabilizer locks the heel to the fibula.
Another important object of the invention is to provide a stabilized ankle support as aforesaid in which the stabilizer has medial and lateral support walls with peak portions that provide stability beneath the malleolus, and is configured to provide relief at the rear of the stabilizer so that it will not cause discomfort or blister the heel.
Another important object is to provide such a stabilizer that receives the heel only so that it does not affect the arch or anterior portions of the foot, thereby providing the desired stabilization and heel lock while allowing the wearer normal movement so as to not impede an athlete""s speed or motion.
Still another important object is to provide an ankle support which locks the heel to the fibula, is simple to use and comfortable through the employment of a semi-rigid stabilizer that receives the heel and requires no adjustment, manipulation or taping.
Further objects will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds.